Marija Banušić

Marija was born in Sweden to Croatian parents who fled the war in the former Yugoslavia. She has often said that growing up between two cultures shaped her personality and taught her to adapt easily to new environments.

She used "Maredinho" on the back of her shirt for years—a nickname her father created by combining her name with Ronaldinho, and she later adopted it as her legal middle name.

Before turning 30, she had already played professional football in five different countries: Sweden, England, China, France and Italy. She says every country taught her something different both as a footballer and as a person.

Although she has lived in several countries, Marija says she doesn't feel she belongs to only one place. Instead, she considers every country she has lived in to be part of her identity, making her feel at home almost anywhere.

She made the bold decision to leave Sweden for Chelsea at just 19 years old, describing it as one of the biggest learning experiences of her career because she suddenly found herself surrounded by world-class players every day.

Marija later moved to China, calling the experience both culturally and professionally eye-opening. She has said that living outside Europe taught her to appreciate different lifestyles and football cultures.